GENERAL INFORMATION

SCHOOL TIMETABLE

School Starts: 9:00am

Morning Interval: 11:10am - 11:30am

Lunchplay: 1:00pm - 1:50pm

School Finishes: 3:00pm

OFFICE HOURS

The school office is staffed from 8.15am to 3.20pm. We suggest that you try to phone during this period.

HERO 

Ardmore School uses Hero School Data Management System.  This is an online sharing platform with a parent app.  All Ardmore School communication is done through Hero.  This includes posts relating to learning, class information, whole school information, interview booking, absence notification and reporting.  Download the Hero by LINC-ED app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.  Parent accounts are set up upon enrollment.

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

Please use the Hero app to communicate an absence or late arrival by 9am.   

The Ministry of Education have an ongoing focus on attendance.  All students are legally required to attend school every day and it is a shared responsibility to make sure students attend and engage in learning from when they first start school.

If a student misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss more than a whole year of school by 16 years of age. As a parent or caregiver, you, alongside our school, play a key role in building strong habits of regular school attendance.

You must let the school know if your child is going to be absent or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for whatever reason, like a tangi or medical procedure.  Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities (not organised by school) are not acceptable reasons for being absent.

LATE ARRIVAL AT SCHOOL

Children arriving late at school must be signed in at the office upon arrival.

PICKING UP/DROPPING OFF CHILDREN

If you need to pick your child up early or drop them off late it is important that you inform the office so the class teacher and bus monitors, if applicable, can be advised. Non-bus pupils are to be collected from inside the school grounds on fine days or their classroom if it is wet. If you are picking up your child early or they arrive late during the school day you must sign them in or out at the office.

LIBRARY

Our school has a well-stocked library, which all classes have the opportunity to visit once or more a week. 

The library is also open at lunch time on a daily basis.

As you will understand, books are expensive items.  We ask you to assist us and ensure that children look after school library and reading books and return them promptly.  Late or missing books will be followed up by the school librarian, and will incur a cost if they can not be found.

MEDICATIONS

From time to time we are asked to administer prescribed medication to children.

On the basis of advice received from the Ministry of Education and the Public Health Nurses the following procedures will apply in such situations.

 If children are taking antibiotics it is acceptable for this to be administered at home before school, after school and before bed time.

In the event that medication is necessary at school for e.g. Asthma, allergies or specific health conditions a Medication at School Form must be filled out at the school office and the medication supplied is to be locked in the Health Room cabinet.

Where such advice is not provided medication can not be administered.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE

A number of after school care groups pick up children from Ardmore School.  The nearest one to Ardmore School is Bizzybodz before and after school care.

Their programme is run within the school grounds but is completely separate from our school organisation.  

For more information contact Jo Adamson on 530-9020/ 021 837-289 or admin@bizzybodz.co.nz or go to www.bizzybodz.co.nz

ENROLMENT SCHEME

To avoid overcrowding the school operates an enrolment scheme.

A copy of the scheme can be obtained from the school office.  A description of the scheme can be found on this website.

NEW ENTRANT VISITS, 5 YEAR OLDS

 Children and their parents/ caregivers, once accepted for Ardmore School (either through being in the home area, or through “out of zone” enrolment) are offered the opportunity to take part in our 'Flying into Ardmore School' programme.

Flying into Ardmore School Programme

In order to help prepare your child for beginning school, we have 4 sessions that help settle them into their learning journey. Two sessions are with parent/s staying and two sessions are in the classroom (without parents)  with their peers that have already begun . This allows the children to meet the teacher, familiarise themselves with their new environment and interact with their peers.  Times/ dates will be advised on enrolment.

COMPOSITE CLASSES

For a variety of reasons many of our classes are composite ones.

Often people believe that if their child is placed in a composite class, that child will be disadvantaged.  This is definitely not the case as programmes in each classroom are designed to cater for individual differences.

HOMEWORK

As a general school policy homework will be given to children regularly each week.

Homework is largely reflective of work being done at school.

REPORTING TO PARENTS

This takes the following forms:

A Transition meeting early in the school year and parent / student conference mid-year. 

All reporting is done via Hero online.

Parents should always email teachers or the school office for any other contact they may require.

DENTAL CLINIC

Children from Ardmore School can access the Dental Clinic at Papakura Normal School 

Phone (09) 298 3028.

 Forms to enable a child to access dental care from this source are completed at the time of enrolment.

 Parents are advised by newsletter re: dental care during school holiday periods.

NEWSLETTERS

Hero is now are main source of communicating with parents.  Teachers regularly communicate to their class or the school community via the Community Feed on Hero.  Parents are notified well in advance of any trips or general “happenings”.  It is also a way to celebrate our students and show parents the wonderful things our children do at Ardmore School.

COMPLAINTS

Though complaints are not frequent at Ardmore School it is important that parents are aware of procedures for raising concerns.  It is important that any problems you have are addressed immediately to prevent issues escalating.

A copy of our Complaints Procedure is available from the school office or at www.schooldocs.co.nz.  Find Ardmore School, enter username ardmore, password aim_high.

MONEY

Children are encouraged not to have money at school except for occasional events.

PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP / ARDMORE FUNDRAISING GROUP

Being a sub-committee of the school Board this group actively supports the school.  Some of the main activities are:  lunches, social functions, fundraising and parent liaison.

Everybody is more than welcome to be part of this group and any help would be appreciated.  Any queries should be addressed to afg@ardmore.school.nz.

BUS

Children within a Ministry of Education defined area are entitled to free bus transport,  providing they are a sufficient distance from the school and fall withing the Ministry of Education Transport Zone.

STATIONERY

Stationery can be purchased from the following website www.schoolpacks.co.nz and will be delivered to your home.

During the year if your child needs more stationery teachers will send home a note and items can still be purchased from the schoolpacks website.

SCHOOL DONATIONS

The school has opted to be part of the governments Donation Scheme, therefore we are not asking for a school donation at this time.

SCHOOL PAYMENTS

 All school payments are to be made through Kindo only.    Click on this link for more information about Kindo.

UNIFORM

All Ardmore School Uniform can be purchased from SAS Sport Ltd, Unit A, 28 Wood Street, Papakura ph 09 299-8412 

website:  The Uniform Shoppe

 It is asked that all clothing worn to school be named.  Lost property can be found on the shelves beside the school library.  Lost property is displayed regularly for the children to claim.  Periodically,  remaining lost property is disposed of.

WHĀNAU INFORMATION

The school is arranged into 3 whānau groups..

• Piwakawaka Years 0 to 3, Rooms 7, 8,10, 11, 12, 13 and 14

• Tūī Years 4 to 6, Rooms 1, 2, 3 and 9

• Ruru Years 7 to 8, Rooms 4, 5 and 6

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS